A Change of Fate
by Nathanial Price
Summary: A child is born, a child that the Fates themselves have not planned for. He will change their carefully thought out plans. Though he does not know it, he is a liability. Stranger still, is that the Fates decide to see where this goes, if he can make things better. If he doesn't, well, all it takes is a snip of a thread.


**Chapter 1**

Third Person

_Manhattan, Midnight, after Olympus' annual Winter Solstice party_

Artemis, goddess of the Hunt, Moon, Chastity, Animals, and the Wilderness, one of the Twin Archers, sister of Apollo, and Mistress of the Hunters of Artemis, was drunk. Apollo had convinced Artemis that one glass of alcohol wouldn't hurt. What he didn't tell her was that it was one of Dionysus' special brew, and it didn't matter how much you drank; one drop could make you drunk. Apollo thought it would be "extremely _awesome _to see Artemis drunk," as he put it.

Artemis was walking around Downtown Manhattan, when she was attacked. She couldn't see her attacker, just a silhouette with a large object in their hand. As she was pulled into an alleyway she was hit over the head with the object in her assailant's hand, which threw her into an unconscious state.

As she came to, her assaulter disappeared into the night. She, being the goddess of childbirth, knew she was pregnant and that her attacker had...had…she couldn't think about it. Artemis also knew she had changed from Artemis to Diana and Diana to Artemis throughout, so the child would be a child of two pantheons; a child that was against the Ancient Rules. Her child wouldn't be safe; Zeus would see to that.

Artemis flashed to her palace on Olympus, fell onto her bed, and promptly cried.

And that is where Hestia found her when Zeus found Artemis was missing. Hestia had volunteered to look for her, as Artemis was Hestia's favorite niece. The eight-year-old goddess pulled her into a hug. The warmth from the hug made Artemis stop crying.

"What is wrong, child?" inquired Hestia tentatively.

"I'm not a child anymore, Auntie," answered Artemis, indignantly.

"That is true, that is true, but you are crying, and I am asking why," Hestia replied.

So Artemis told Hestia her tale. At the end, Artemis was crying again, so Hestia began combing her fingers through Artemis' auburn hair.

"It's going to be okay," Hestia said.

"No it's not," Artemis replies.

"Yes it will," Hestia scolded. "I'll get Hecate to affect the Mist around your waist so no one will be able to tell you're pregnant, you'll convince your hunters that you have to go on a solo hunt, and when it's time, we'll get Apollo to deliver the baby."

And Hestia asked Hecate to affect the Mist while Artemis convinced he hunters that she had to go on a solo mission to kill a monster. But what they didn't know was someone had connected the dots; an enemy like no other.

* * *

_Apollo's Palace, 9 months later_

Hestia was sitting in the room outside of Apollo's guest room, where Artemis was giving birth to her first child. Hestia heard the screams, and was glad she had taken the maiden oath. _If it hurt this much for the goddess of childbirth, the pain for others must be ungodly_, she thought.

Suddenly, the screaming stopped, and the new sound of a child wailing filled the air. After a few minutes, Hestia stood up and knocked on the door. She heard a shuffle on the other side of the door, and then saw the face of a disgruntled looking Apollo in the slim crack of the partly open door. When he saw it was Hestia, he grinned wildly and opened the door fully, pulling her inside.

On the bed was a smiling Artemis beaming down at a baby in a white blanket. It had strikingly silver eyes and a tuft of auburn hair on its head. It was a carbon copy of its mother. Artemis looked up when she heard Apollo coming back from the door with a delighted Hestia.

"What gender is the baby?" asked Hestia.

Artemis replied with a smile, "A boy."

Hestia was shocked." You are oddly happy about that," She observed. "I thought you would want a girl."

Artemis' expression darkened. "I don't care the gender, he is still my son," She responded, as she glared at Hestia.

Hestia swallowed; Artemis had a terrifying glare. "May I hold him?" She asked timidly.

Artemis' expression softened. "Of course; you are, after all, his godmother."

Hestia was surprised to say the least. "Why am I the godmother?"

"You helped me through this; I thought it only right," Artemis replied, as she handed Hestia the baby.

The goddess of hearth and home held him close to her chest so she wouldn't drop him.

"What is his name?" Hestia questioned.

Artemis said softly, "I hoped you would name him."

Hestia thought up a name quickly. "How about Matthew?"

"Why?" quizzed Artemis.

"It means 'Gift of God'" said Hestia. "It's Hebrew."

"It's perfect," answered Artemis.

After a moment of silence, Apollo asked, "Can we bless him?"

Artemis smiled at her brother and replied "Only if you want to."

Apollo grinned and walked over to the newly named Matthew. He placed a finger to Matthew's forehead and chanted "I, ο Απόλλωνας, ο Θεός του ήλιου, το φως, τη θεραπεία, τη μουσική, την ποίηση, τοξοβολία, και η προφητεία, ευλογεί ο Ματθαίος, ο γιος της Αρτέμιδος." (I, Apollo, God of the sun, light, healing, music, poetry, archery, and prophecy, bless Matthew, son of Artemis.) A golden light passed from Apollo to Matthew. Matthew's eyes now had a golden ring on the outside of the iris.

"I gave him power over healing, music, and poetry, so he can be as awesome as me," boasted Apollo, which Hestia and Artemis rolled their eyes. This however, went unnoticed by Apollo.

Hestia also placed a finger to Matthew's forehead and chanted "I, Εστία, θεά της εστίας, το σπίτι και την οικογένεια, να ευλογεί ο Ματθαίος, ο γιος της Αρτέμιδος." (I, Hestia, Goddess of hearth, home, and family, bless Matthew, son of Artemis.) Again, a golden light passed to Matthew, but from Hestia this time. Matthew's eyes now had flame orange, fire-like, protrusions coming from the pupil.

"I gave him power over fire and the power to bring forth food," said Hestia.

"Food?" asked Apollo.

Hestia conjured up some hamburgers, which Apollo began to devour like it was his mission in life. The goddesses watched this with sick fascination. When Apollo ate a hamburger with one bite, their mouths dropped open.

"What?" questioned Apollo quizzically.

"How...why...how…nevermind," the goddesses said in unison.

"Now, back on topic. Where will the boy live?" quizzed Apollo.

"With me of course," snapped Artemis.

"With your man-hating hunters who will kill him? And the monster attacks? With all the Olympians knowing because you are literally shoving him in their faces? I've got to admit, not your best plan Arty." observed Apollo.

Artemis had gone white as a sheet, but still had enough control to growl, "Don't call me Arty."

Hestia counted out, "None of the Olympians can know, so they're out. The minor gods all live on Olympus, so not them either. Apollo can't take him because Apollo's palace is where he hosts all his parties so that if he stopped them to hide Matthew it would suspicious. I see only one place he could go."

"Where?" asked Artemis desperately.

"I could take him. I mean, I have a cabin up in the Catskills, and I could raise him there. You could visit anytime you liked."

Artemis looked at her greatfully. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She said gleefully.

"Can I visit too? I want to make sure he turns out as awesome as me," Apollo questioned.

"I will not let him turn out to be as much of a womanizer and as annoying as you, but you may visit my child," replied the silver-eyed goddess. "Can you give him back to me?" This was directed to Hestia.

Hestia gave Matthew back to Artemis. She held Matthew close and said, " I love you. Just remember I love you."

Artemis then gave Matthew to Hestia and said, "Take him."

Hestia nodded and flashed out.

* * *

**What do you think? Shall I continue? Constructive criticism is welcome and encouraged. -Nathanial Price**


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